Several things bother me about this video of the Boy Scouts booing President Obama's prerecorded speech to the National Jamboree in Virginia. It's occurred to me for awhile now that it serves no useful purpose to bash a President, whether it's Bush or Obama, rather it's simply being a poor sport and a sore loser. Legitimate criticism is one thing but the endless Bush and Obama bashing are just bad form and old news.

The Boy Scouts are not the organization I grew up with but I've known that a long time. I do expect certain things out of the leaders of a group of young people that are supposedly being trained in moral qualities of better character. If the President chose to go on The View instead of attending the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts, that is a reflection on him. That he chose to appear at their National Jamboree in a prerecorded videotaped session falls in the same category. Regardless if the Boy Scouts in attendance were booing Obama for not appearing in person or whether they "like" him or not is being a bad sport, lacks character and is disrespectful. That reflects on their leaders more than it does on them. It indicates they are not being trained in higher moral standards and good character. If they were they would know, whether you like any President or not, you respect the Office of the Presidency and booing a video monitor doesn't qualify as having good character, it is just unsupervised juvenile behavior.

On the other hand, it also reflects poorly on President Obama. Common political horse sense should have told him to not appear at all, in person or videotaped, at the National Jamboree. Let the criticism fly that he didn't, that would have been the better option of two bad options. It is another indication that our current President is not very good at knowing his audience, the limits of who his constituents are and having savvy political advisors. He made his choice to appear on The View and in the nuances of politics, negated anything he could have said at an appearance in front of the Boy Scouts. Sadly, his poll ratings indicate how poorly he is perceived by a lot of Americans and he should consider his every move knowing that. Remarking that he doesn't seem to be very politically astute, is not bashing him, merely an observation of his political skills.

I'm left wondering if anyone really believes in striving for Duty to Self, Boy Scout or not, the Promise of the Boy Scout Oath. "Keeping yourself physically strong means taking care of your body. Eat the right foods and keep your strength. Staying mentally awake means learn all you can, be curious, and ask questions. Being morally straight means to live your life with honesty, to be clean in your speech and actions, and to be a person of strong character."

I Think, I Create, I Live...Once I was a corporate road warrior but these days I travel the American West and the Internet. My website blog documents my observations and commentary on life in the American Southwest through the lens of my smartphone photographic art and writing. I am a lifelong Arizonan that keeps life simple but not stupid.